Although family members may not always listen to us, tech-savvy homeowners are starting to talk to a new, responsive set of ears: their houses. A new survey from Coldwell Banker Real Estate and
Vivint Smart Home
found Americans are ready to embrace voice control, with an increasing number already using the feature in their daily lives.

“Last year we announced our integration with Amazon Echo and we’ve been blown away with how consumers are unlocking the full potential of a voice-controlled smart home," said Jeff Lyman, chief marketing officer for Vivint Smart Home. "By simply saying aloud what they want to happen with their locks, lights, thermostats and security system, customers spend more time living and less time managing."

According to the joint survey, 72 percent of Americans who have smart home products -- controlled remotely by a smartphone, tablet, computer -- would like voice control. Of that group, 81 percent of parents who have smart home products would like to control smart home products with voice activation. The survey also found that 48 percent of Americans with smart home products currently have voice control capability.

"As the smart home leader in real estate, Coldwell Banker is at the forefront of smart home trends," said Sean Blankenship, chief marketing officer for Coldwell Banker Real Estate. "We’re hearing directly from our agents that their clients are demanding voice control to make their smart home experience more seamless.”

So what do consumers want to control using their voice? Entertainment is the clear winner. More than half of Americans who own smart home products with voice control use the feature to control smart entertainment, such as playing music, or controlling smart TVs and speaker systems. In addition to entertainment, the next three most popular functions being controlled by voice activation are lighting, security products and shopping.

Although the future of home voice technology is in its infancy, the results are already spectacular. "The experience is pretty magical,” said Lyman.

To learn more about how Coldwell Banker Real Estate is embracing smart home technology,
click here.